


A friend in need

by AvandraTheMarySueSlayer



Category: Baldur's Gate
Genre: And so is Velden, Baldur's Gate Siege of Dragonspear (duh!), Dorky friends being dorks, Friendship, Gay, Glint is my precious son, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Perfect BFFs, Sad songs and ice cream
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-25
Updated: 2019-02-25
Packaged: 2019-11-05 13:03:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,373
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17919299
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AvandraTheMarySueSlayer/pseuds/AvandraTheMarySueSlayer
Summary: Celebratory one-shot for Strangeness and Charm surpassing 600 views, and a gift for the wonderful depresane! After Rasaad's rejection, Velden sinks into heartbreak. Luckily for him, he has a good friend who will help him cope with the situation.





	A friend in need

**Author's Note:**

  * For [depresane](https://archiveofourown.org/users/depresane/gifts).



> This piece is a prompt suggested by depresane: gay solidarity and fluffy friendship between my precious Glint and my little sunshine boy Velden. I really hope you all enjoy it!

 

* * *

“Velden?”

 

Despite his excellent hearing, the elf did not address or gave any indications that he had perceived his name being called. Truth be told, he didn't. He let out another sigh.

 

“Velden? Velden? Velden? Velden?”

 

Still nothing. Velden stared wistfully at the trees that used to bring him so much joy. They didn't do much for him anymore. Nothing seemed to do.

 

Suddenly, a deep guttural voice.

 

“VEEEELDEEEEEEN!”

 

That time, the archer did react by jumping in shock, tripping on the root of a tree and managing not to fall only thanks to his extremely quick reflexes that allowed him to make a swift, yet somehow still graceful hop.

 

In front of him stood Glint, with a smug smile.

 

“How are you even able to—”

 

“Oh, great, a response,” the chatty gnome interrupted him. “Well, now that I got your attention, let's get to the point; you haven't really been yourself lately, what with skipping meals and everything. Would you tell me what’s going on? I mean, not that you _have_ to, but I, um, worry that you might be feeling a little out of sorts, so I just wanted to remind you that if you need help of any kind, I'm here for you.”

 

Then, Glint stopped for a moment to ponder something. However, it was brief enough that the baffled Velden couldn't get a single word in edgewise.

 

“Unless you want a piggyback ride. Then I'm afraid you'll have to ask Rasaad.”

 

At the mention of that name, Velden let out an even louder sigh.

 

“Ah, my friend, Rasaad is exactly the problem,” he slouched against a pine tree, his bright green eyes sadder than a hungry puppy's. The scene was more than enough to break anyone's heart. Velden was oddly good at making sad puppy faces.

 

“Rasaad?” Glint asked, genuinely worried. “I mean… he _is_ kind of boring sometimes and I don't exactly agree with the restrictive ways he upholds the values of his moon goddess, but I mean, he never striked me as… you know, a bad person, or anything. What happened?”

 

Velden looked back up at Glint, eyes wide and mouth agape in what was unmistakable righteous indignation… either that, or offense at his lack of fashion sense, which the Sly One's priest knew _not_ to be the case, so he feared he might have said something wrong.

 

“A bad person?” He gasped. “He is the kindest, most selfless man I have ever known! He is strong, disciplined, wise, amicable, and yes, I admit he might come off as rigid sometimes, but you guys just met, give him some time! I taught him to crack jokes and he's been practicing and he's getting better at it. Also, he is a formidable fighter and an invaluable ally and… he's _flawless._ ”

 

After the sudden rant that somehow managed to shut Glint up, the gnome blinked a few times and gawked at the heartbroken elf.

 

“Oh dear… Velden, sweetheart, are you _in love_?”

 

“I’m very much afraid so,” the elf replied with a sad smile. “I… do tend to fall in love easily, and when I do, I fall _hard._ But Rasaad… he cannot reciprocate my feelings.”

 

“Ouch. Celibacy vows?”

 

“No, it's just that… I _distract_ him, and he cannot allow himself to let his meditations go to waste, not with this crazy crusade going on,” Velden replied, not bothering to look up. The resemblance to a sad puppy was beginning to become truly uncanny.

 

Glint scratched his beard for a moment, thinking of the best way to help out his friend. The poor elf did not handle rejection well, and from personal experience, the cleric knew that could only lead to a downward spiral of depressing bardsong and strawberry ice cream… or in the glutton ranger's case –not that he was to blame, as Glint himself did enjoy a good meal–, lack thereof. Thinking back to his own experiences with heartache, the gnome knew time healed all wounds in the end, but having his sister Balina by his side to distract him and keep him from thinking of his upteenth crush had indeed helped a lot. Besides, the hero of Baldur's Gate kind of needed to be at his absolute best in order to defeat the Crusade.

 

With a strategy devised to bring Velden back to his old chirpy self, Glint nodded to himself and smiled at the elf.

 

“Well then,” the gnome announced in a solemn stance, “as someone with experience in love and all its twists and turns –or at least _most_ of them–, let me be your guide through this process.”

 

“My guide?” Velden asked, perplexed.

 

Glint nodded with his usual enthusiasm.

 

“Yes! I shall help you keep the gloom at bay,” he explained. “Just trust me on this, I have a master plan that will help you until you either break through Rasaad's thick skull –no offense, he _is_ kind of thick to deny his own feelings like that when they are _so_ obvious–, or move on! Either way, with a little help from your little friend, you'll soon be back to living your best life! Or at least the best life you can live while warring a crusade, but you get my point, yes?”

 

Though his eyes still showed sadness, Velden managed to crack a small smile.

 

“I'm all ears.”

 

* * *

  


“What's this?” Velden asked, perplexed, upon seeing the strange, pink frozen cream from the cup Glint handed him, back at the coalition camp.

 

“Strawberry ice cream!” The proud cleric announced, in a dramatic voice. “Now, we are still at the first stage of heartbreak; grief. The problem is, you are swallowing it down, and that won't do you any good. It is best to acknowledge your feelings and, you know, just let them out.”

 

“And this… ice cream will allow me to do that?” The archer asked, with a mix of skepticism and interest. It was a new dessert for him to sample, after all.

 

“No, but it will help make the process more, ahem, _palatable_ ,” Glint replied, winking. “Now, the one thing that can really bring out your feelings, the one thing that is said to reach one's very soul, is music. And we happen to have a rather good bard at camp who will perform anything if you get him enough rounds. Plus, he's cute. A shame he's not into guys. Now, enter Voghiln!”

 

“Wait, what!?”

 

The red-haired skald who had fought alongside Khalid and Jaheira before the Bridgefort siege came seemingly out of nowhere, carrying a lute. Though aware that the bard was a valuable ally, Velden didn't like the way he had insistently tried to seduce Auntie Jaheira despite knowing well she was already married to Uncle Khalid.

 

“Ach, Glint told me the hero of Baldur's Gate has a need of mine music, ja?” he said, trying a few notes of his lute to make sure it was well tuned. “I cannot refuse to help a comrade, so mine lute and voice are yours. Let me begin.”

 

_“Remember the vows that you made to me truly,_

_Remember how tenderly you nestled close to me,_

_Gay is the garland, fresh are the roses_

_I've culled from the garden to bind over thee._

_Here now I wander alone as I wonder_

_Why did you leave me to sigh and complain?_

_I ask of the roses, why should I be forsaken,_

_Why must I here in sorrow remain?”_

 

By the time the skald was finished with his ballad, both Velden and Glint were bawling their eyes out while they shoved spoonful after spoonful of strawberry ice cream in their mouths.

 

“That was just…” Velden somehow managed to speak and keep eating without pausing to breathe. “SO sad!”

 

“I know!” Glint dried his own tears, being the first to recover. “Thank you, Voghiln, you've really earned that ale money I sto—ahem, honestly earned in an honest manner for you.”

 

The bard made an elaborate reverence before making his leave to Thaird's tavern tent. Glint then turned to the still weeping elf and patted his back affectionately.

 

“There, there,” he said. “Don't you feel better after letting it all out and comforting yourself with a sweet treat?”

 

Velden blinked a few times, his eyes still bright from crying.

 

“Actually… I still feel like troll crap, but not such a big one anymore, you know?” He explained, his voice hoarse. Glint understood and smiled.

 

“It takes time, but we'll get you there, trust me. Now, for the next step…”

 

The gnome retrieved a Laeral's tear necklace from his pocket. Velden didn't have to guess how he “acquired” it, but still accepted his friend's show of goodwill. He clasped it around his neck, marvelling at the gem hanging from it. Glint clapped his hands in amazement.

 

“It looks amazing on you! Now, how about a full makeover?”

 

“You think so?” Velden asked, hesitant. His friend's enthusiasm was contagious, and truth be told, his words sounded a bit tempting.

 

Glint nodded with a childish grin of pure joy that reminded Velden of Imoen. He couldn't help but smiling back, reminiscing a bit. Knowing his best friend had recovered from the attempt on her life and was finally following the call of the arcane like she had always wanted to gave him comfort during their time apart, though he still missed her dearly.

 

“Of course!” Glint replied. “Nothing helps heal heartbreak better than looking at yourself in a mirror and thinking 'Hey, don’t I look great?’”

 

Velden smiled. It was true that he liked to keep a neat appearance, so trying Glint's suggestion definitely wouldn't hurt.

 

“Alright, let's try!”

 

* * *

  


“My, you look wonderful!” Glint gasped in awe.

 

“You don't look so bad, yourself,” Velden chuckled.

 

They had been tormenting Belegarm by trying on all of the robes he carried. It turned out the merchant not only profited from the goods the soldiers and mercenaries needed for the war against the Crusade, but also from selling fine silks to whoever was wealthy enough to pay for them. Velden and Glint had been trying on different outfits of exotic origin. The latter wore a Sembian toga made for the fit of a halfling, but it was loose enough that it didn't make a significant difference. He was convinced that the shade of purple and the golden embroidery highlighted the blue of his hair. Velden couldn't agree more. He himself was rather surprised at the reflection of the full body mirror Belegarm had at his stand so his customers could check how his wares looked on them. The archer had opted for a Calishite two-piece composed of a colorful vest and mint green pants and shirt. Try as he may, he just could not do without green.

 

“Don't we look amazing? I say we look amazing!” Glint raved on, turning and turning to see the fit of his gown from all angles.

 

Velden's shirt was untied, showing off his golden skin, and the pants had a low cut that let his hips and navel show. Calishite humans were typically short, and he had a strong physique for an elf, due to the heavy training he underwent without fault. As a result, the silks clung nicely to his body without being too loose or too tight. He smiled at his reflection.

 

“We do look amazing,” he replied.

 

Then they began to make silly poses on the mirror. They flexed their arms, twirled them as if they were dancing, pointed their index fingers at the mirror as if they were shooting arrows… until someone cleared his throat behind them.

 

“Are you going to buy anything or what?” Belegarm asked in annoyance.

 

* * *

  


“What about that one?”

 

“Sooo cute!”

 

“Ah, you have good taste, pal! Oh, and him?”

 

“Are you kidding me? Dorn is a known murderer! He is only here to get revenge on the crusaders who captured him!”

 

“Doesn't make him any less hot.”

 

Velden and Glint sat on their spot next to the former's belongings, doing what the gnome called a “visual inspection”, which pretty much boiled down to checking out the most attractive men in the camp.

 

“Would you really try anything with someone you know is evil?” Velden asked, surprised at Glint's daring attitude. Would his god approve of such, he wondered?

 

“A fling doesn't require morals,” the cleric shrugged. “Besides, I've seen him take glances at me. I bet you anything that before the siege is over, I'll have managed to seduce him.”

 

“Glint, I think that's too dangerous,” Velden replied, peering discreetly at the imposing half-orc. True, he was attractive, but also a remorseless mass murderer who had dealings with devils. Velden shivered at the thought.

 

“Come on, Velden, you should know me by now! I _live_ for danger!” Glint replied, nudging him playfully.

 

The elf sighed.

 

“If you go for it, and I think many of the much more decent men we've been… inspecting, would be much safer bets, promise you will be careful.”

 

“Pinky promise!”

 

Velden chuckled, but held his pinky to Glint's. He used to do those all the time with Imoen. Pinky promise not to tell Gorion of the stolen jewels, pinky promise to skip chores to go walk around the wall together, pinky promise to always be there for each other…

 

“And whatever happens, Glint, just know I will be there for you.”

 

That was it. Glint understood Velden's woes better than anyone in that camp, and he had done his best to provide him with a safe haven from the ache he still felt whenever he saw Rasaad. The cleric was a true friend, and Velden never abandoned his friends.

 

“Glad to hear that, and same to you, Velden!” He then tilted his head to the side. “How are you feeling?”

 

“Well… I won't lie to you; it still hurts to think of Rasaad, but while we were hanging out together, I could just enjoy the moment and… not think, you know?”

 

Glint nodded with a knowing smile.

 

“We can repeat it any time.”

 

The gnome yelped a little when a pair of arms surrounded him, catching him by surprise. Soon, he was patting Velden's back, surrounding what he could of his shoulders in a reciprocated hug.

 

“I would love to, Glint.”

**Author's Note:**

> I don't know if I have accurately depicted gay solidarity, though I do hope so without incurring in stereotypes (I think everything both do is pretty much in-character, but please do tell me otherwise). Glint and Velden are good friends who care for each other, and that's what I wanted to show. Feedback would be greatly appreciated!


End file.
